Our View

When Sarasota and Manatee county voters color in their ballots on or before Aug. 26 for the primary elections, they will find most of the races will be for local offices. Keeping track of these candidates — who they are, their qualifications and what they stand for — and determining for whom to vote is a challenge.
If you haven’t already voted, to help you gain perspective, this week we provide information and recommendations on eight of the races in Manatee and Sarasota counties.

SARASOTA COUNTY COMMISSION
DISTRICT 2 — Candidates: Paul Caragiulo; Shannon Snyder
With Commissioner Joe Barbetta having reached term limits, politically ambitious Caragiulo apparently decided that marked the opportunity to end his frustration with his fellow Sarasota city commissioners and vie for a seat on a commission that actually accomplishes good work for its constituents.

For months, it looked as though Caragiulo would be the obvious successor to Barbetta — even in spite of Caragiulo’s being a member of the often dysfunctional City Commission.

But then, as bizarreness goes at City Hall, another city commissioner, Shannon Snyder, decided to challenge Caragiulo for the Republican nomination for District 2 County Commission seat.

What?

Now there are two city commissioners, neither of whom can claim a convincing record of accomplishments that have helped propel the city forward.

But now we know what’s going on. Snyder is representing anti-growth neighborhood factions as the antidote to Caragiulo’s pro-business philosophy. That group wants to break up the three-vote, pro-business block on the County Commission, and Snyder is its stalking horse.

But if you evaluate the performances of Caragiulo and Snyder during their tenures on the City Commission, Caragiulo better embraces than Snyder the Republican values of limited government, fiscal responsibility and pro-economic growth — albeit in moderation, not as a strident libertarian. Perhaps one of the convincing arguments for Caragiulo is he is sincerely motivated to do what he can as a policymaker to make Sarasota a place where his children can find good jobs and live in a thriving, beautiful community. Caragiulo would be a work horse and tough watchdog on county spending.

Recommendation: Paul Caragiulo

DISTRICT 4 — Candidates: Alan Maio; Lourdes Ramirez
This race is to fill the seat of Commissioner Nora Patterson, who also has reached her term limits.

And the candidates in this race pretty much portray the story of Sarasota County: an accomplished business owner, entrepreneur and operator whose companies created hundreds of well-paying, tax-paying jobs in Florida and helped build roads and homes for thousands of Sarasota County residents (Maio) versus one of the county’s leading neighborhood activists who advocates for tight restrictions on development (Ramirez).

Pro-growth versus restricted growth.

But here’s one of the unique aspects of this race: Maio is not as unabashedly pro-development as you might expect, and Ramirez is not unabashedly anti-business as you might expect. Call Maio center-right, albeit more right than center; and Ramirez center-left, albeit more left than center.

Maio describes his vision for Sarasota County this way: “How about a healthy dose of positive passion? I hope we can be more accepting to encouraging our young people to stay here and have businesses locate here on their own [not with subsidies, he told us], and in the process we should do no harm to the environment. Those two things are not mutually exclusive.”

Ramirez’s vision is not much different: “I’d like to see more diversity in the economy so we can have more families here.” She would like the region’s colleges and universities to collaborate with the Sarasota County Economic Development Corp. to flesh out growth in key industries — but without subsidies to corporations. And she professes fiscal frugality. “I want to see where we can save money,” she says.

In Maio and Ramirez, voters have two passionate, even-keeled candidates who have been deeply involved in their communities. Maio has the fuller resume — including stints on the county’s code enforcement board, board of zoning appeals, planning commission and the Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council. Ramirez has served as president of the Siesta Key Association and Council of Neighborhood Association.

When you compare the history of the two, Ramirez inevitably would fall on the side of favoring more government restrictions on development.

Maio, throughout his 30 years in business and service in Sarasota County, has demonstrated a history of integrity, common sense and fair-mindedness.

Recommendation: Alan Maio

SARASOTA SCHOOL BOARD
DISTRICT 1 — Candidates: Velton Hodges, Ken Marsh, Paul J. Schafer and Bridget Ziegler (incumbent)
This is a great lineup of candidates:

Velton Hodges, 60, is a 30-year educator in Sarasota schools and former president for 12 years of the Sarasota County teachers union.

Ken Marsh, 63, has spent 35 years in public education, retiring recently as the head of long-range planning for the Sarasota County School District. It’s not exaggerating to say no one knows more about the inner and outside workings, operations and finances of the district than does Marsh. No one.
Paul Schafer, 71, spent 37 years as a professor of reading and dean of the school of education at St. Bonaventure University and served as a county legislator and school board member in upstate New York.
Bridget Ziegler, 32, the incumbent appointed by Gov. Rick Scott, is a new mother, an insurance representative for a Sarasota company and a fireball of youthful enthusiasm for education.

Together, they would make a solid school board. Unfortunately, only one can win.

Of all the candidates, we like Hodges’ candidness. He gives you the impression he doesn’t expect to have much of a chance to win. But he told us he is running for the board seat because “there are some things I want to say.” Two things in particular:

1. “My biggest issue is we no longer have school resource officers (armed security officers) in our elementary schools. I don’t understand that decision. How can you not pay for that? It’s a matter of priorities.”

2. “I don’t see the district moving forward. It has no discernible action plan.We haven’t gone anywhere. We’re sitting still.”

Hodges says he would include teachers in that process of determining a vision and a plan. “They would own it.”

He makes good points.

So does Professor Shafer. Everything this career reading professor says makes a lot of sense. He knows the issues. He would be a good, pragmatic, common-sense board member. He’s right: There should be a community discussion about charter schools. Should there be a limit?

But when we assess the four candidates vying for this seat, the decision comes down to two: Marsh and Ziegler.

By virtue of her age, Ziegler has the thinnest CV and could be regarded as the least qualified of the four candidates. But that’s also an advantage. Her lack of experience — along with her passion and fearlessness — means she is uninhibited in challenging the status quo and establishment. She represents the next generation of parents and students, and that perspective is a fresh addition to the board.

Too often government bodies become tired and stale. They need someone to rouse the rabble, to help push an organization to the next level. Ziegler would do that well. As the appointed incumbent, she has already started.

But then there’s Marsh. For a career bureaucrat, he is full of entrepreneurial ideas. This one is good: A Pine View-like pre-K and kindergarten for struggling children.

While we endorse the idea of a youthful, challenge-authority board member like Ziegler, when placed side by side with Marsh, his depth of knowledge, his relationships with key people from Tallahassee to the county administration building and his thoughtful, creative ideas are too valuable to pass up.

Recommendation: Ken Marsh, or Bridget Ziegler

DISTRICT 4 — Candidates: Shirley Brown (incumbent); Helen Wolff
Kudos to Helen Wolff, mother and professional translator. Rather than just complain, she decided to try to do something about it. That “it” is Common Core.

Wolff doesn’t like the obsession with these top-down standards. Unfortunately, as a school board there is not much she could do. The Legislature dictates.

Brown, a former state representative from Sarasota, knows all about Tallahassee mandates. But she also knows as a board member she is bound by law to implement the Legislature’s laws.

While we often differ philosophically with Brown on the role of government, Brown has proven to be an effective, hard-working board member.

Recommendation: Shirley Brown

DISTRICT 5 — Candidates: Jane Goodwin (incumbent); Randy McLendon
Randy McLendon, an Englewood Realtor and church minister, is a clear-headed, common-sense thinker who would be just as valuable to the board as, say, most of the other candidates seeking the office.
But as we’ve noted before, elections typically are referenda on the performance of incumbents. In that vein, there is no reason not to retain and re-elect Jane Goodwin. She is a careful steward of taxpayer money, and the fact her peers elected her twice to chair the board demonstrates competence and integrity.

Recommendation: Jane Goodwin

MANATEE SCHOOL BOARD
Talk about tumult. From the departure of former Superintendent Roger Dearing in 2008, through the debillitating tenure of former Superintendent Tim McGonegal through 2012, until the announcement last week that the Manatee County School District reported a $4 million operating surplus, the past six years will go down as one of the lowest points in district history.

But thank goodness, in early 2013 the board selected current Superintendent Rick Mills. And ever since, he and his team have been restoring the district’s financial health.

Much work is still required of the administration and the board. Who, then, are the best candidates to represent taxpayers, students, families, and the district’s teachers going forward?

DISTRICT 2 — Candidates: Rodney Jones; Charlie Kennedy
With the retirement of 16-year school board member Barbara Harvey, the District 2 election features Charlie Kennedy, a 10-year Manatee High School teacher, and Rodney Jones, a longtime community volunteer and leader and social worker with at-risk children.

Each of these candidates would bring valuable knowledge and perspectives to the board.

When you talk to Kennedy, his understanding of the issues and of what is needed on the board and in the schools is solid. He’s a big proponent of more emphasis on early education and pre-K, the precursors to success in school and life. He sees the top priorities of the board are to make sure the $340 million general fund is allocated in the right places; and perhaps more immediately, for the board and district administration to rebuild relationships with the community at large and teachers. Solution: more transparency and face time with residents and schools.

Jones, on the other hand, would bring other valuable wisdom and skills to the board. A product of Manatee public schools, 47-year-old Jones has been a visible leader in Manatee’s African-American community for 30 years.

Like Kennedy, Jones sees what is needed on the board. First: Bring a divided board and community back together. Jones has devoted much of his community service to that with, as he puts it: “a style of leadership that brings people together.”

In the end, Manatee voters would win with either Kennedy or Jones. But because of the breadth of his community involvement over the past three decades, we give Jones an edge.
Recommendation: Rodney Jones

DISTRICT 5 — Candidates: Frank Brunner; Karen Carpenter (incumbent)
If this district election is a referendum on incumbent Karen Carpenter’s performance the past four years, one way to evaluate her tenure is she — along with board member Julie Aranibar — did the ugly work that needed to be done. They disrupted the status quo, which had become a trend line of decline that started prior to their election in 2010.

And this is what typically happens when disruption occurs: Conditions get worse before they get better. Which is exactly what happened from 2010 to 2012. Carpenter and Aranibar led the charge for fiscal accountability, and along the way, there were periods of rancor among board members.

Nevertheless, Carpenter and Aranibar persisted, and the results are evident.

So why give up now on the corrective course Carpenter has helped chart? There is a strong argument to continue.

And then there is Frank Brunner.

Brunner, 47, served honorably and competently as a school board member from 1998 to 2006. A product of Manatee public schools, Brunner graduated from West Point and is a Gulf War veteran.

During Brunner’s tenure on the board, twice as many schools earned A or B grades as now, and the district received the state’s gold seal for fiscal management.

All of which creates a tough choice for voters.

Brunner should serve on the board again. He has all that it takes and would bring consensus building and West Point leadership skills. But we’ll side with Carpenter, 71, to continue the board and district’s turnaround. She expressed much higher confidence in Superintendent Mills than did Brunner. And in these early stages of the district’s comeback, this is not the time to disrupt Mills’ momentum. If Carpenter is elected, we hope Brunner runs again.

Recommendation: Karen Carpenter

DISTRICT 5 — Candidates: Julie Aranibar (incumbent); Mary Stewart Cantrell; James T. Golden; Carlton Les Nichols

The caliber of candidates in this district is extraordinary.

Aranibar, mother, entrepreneur, community activist and volunteer extraordinaire; Cantrell, former longtime CEO of one of the most recognized and successful technical schools in the nation (Manatee Technical Institute); Golden, a former two-term Bradenton City Council member and lawyer whose name makes almost every list of Manatee community leaders; and Nichols, a 36-year-old Marine veteran and property-manager who shows a passion for improving schools that you would expect from a Marine.

But this race is almost a mirror of the District 4 race. Like Carpenter in that race, incumbent Aranibar has earned re-election.

We like how she describes herself: “I am not one who has ever taken from my community. What I did (the past four years), I know I did it for the right reasons. I stood up and got in there when things were not good. Even through the darkest days, my focus has been on protecting children. My focus has been on solutions.”

To paraphrase commentator Bill O’Reilly, Manatee taxpayers can be sure Aranibar is always looking out for you.

Recommendation: Julie Aranibar

12th circuit court judge
CANDIDATES: Art Jackman; Susan Maulucci
These two candidates both have earned seats on the bench.

Jackman is currently a felony division chief in the 12th Circuit’s state attorney’s office, where he has served for 18 years.

In addition, he has served 28 years — and continues to serve — as a judge advocate and colonel in the U.S. Air Force.

And throughout all this time, he has tried hundreds and hundreds of cases of all types.

Maulucci’s experience is equally extensive and diverse, if not more so. She served seven years as an assistant state attorney in the 12th Circuit; for the next 13 years she practiced family law, with an emphasis on children and juvenile guardianships.

Since 2004, Maulucci has served as a 12th Circuit general magistrate, the equivalent of a judge but without authority to try jury cases. In this position, she has presided over family law hearings and trials and always difficult Baker Act cases.

When you talk to lawyers and judges about Maulucci, they are unequivocal: Her experience, longtime community service as an advocate for children and judicial temperament make her an outstanding candidate for circuit judge.

We recommend Maulucci, and urge Jackman to try again. His turn will come.

Recommendation: Susan Maulucci

OBSERVER PRIMARY RECOMMENDATIONS
Manatee County
NON-PARTISAN RACES
Circuit Judge Group 17 — Susan Maulucci
School Board District 2 — Rodney Jones
School Board District 4 — Karen Carpenter
School Board District 5 — Julie Aranibar

Sarasota County
NON-PARTISAN RACES
Circuit Judge Group 17 — Susan Maulucci
School Board District 1 — Ken Marsh or Bridget Ziegler
School Board District 4 — Shirley Brown
School Board District 5 — Jane Goodwin

REPUBLICAN PARTY
County Commission District 2 — Paul Caragiulo
County Commission District 4 — Alan Maio